love colt model -m

[walter o]

they grow in the safe,buti do love the little buggers.Amixture of 32's and .380and 1 that i have shown before that is engraved and schrimshawed

 

[SAFireman]

When I was a young man, my grandfather had one in 32 that was bright nickel with checked wooden stocks It rode around in a suede Bianchi IWB. I thought that it was the coolest thing ever. When he passed someone other than me got it, and I had to find one for myself. I got close, here is my Colt 1908 in 380.

 

[walter o]

would like to find 1 in original nickel,Yours is beautiful
This is the one that i had done up in memory of my wife Rose

 

[Kurusu]

Yeah. I like'm too. Getting a good one without loosing my shirt in the process has been the hard part.

PS. In case you're wondering why such a hard time. I'm in Europe. The Colt 1903/08 got squeezed between to great successes in Europe (both from JMB), the FN 1900 and the FN 1910. So it never got very popular in this side of the pond. Offers are few and far between and are either basket cases or too expensive.

 

[Absalom]

.... The Colt 1903/08 got squeezed between to great successes in Europe (both from JMB), the FN 1900 and the FN 1910. So it never got very popular in this side of the pond..

Actually, it wasn’t “squeezed”, that was the licensing agreements which John M. Browning made with Colt and FN respectively on those designs (the 1903 and the Vest Pocket primarily) that he sold to both. Colt got the US market, FN got Europe. So the Colt 1903 never was widely available in Europe, except for private importation, and of course the ones the OSS exported to occupied Europe surreptitiously during WW II

And while the FN 1903 was sold commercially (the attached catalog is from 1911), it was mostly limited to military contracts and not nearly as successful as the 1900 and 1910.

 

[Kurusu]

Actually, it wasn’t “squeezed”, that was the licensing agreements which John M. Browning made with Colt and FN respectively on those designs (the 1903 and the Vest Pocket primarily) that he sold to both. Colt got the US market, FN got Europe. So the Colt 1903 never was widely available in Europe, except for private importation, and of course the ones the OSS exported to occupied Europe surreptitiously during WW II

well, JMB also sold the 1903 design to FN. But FN made an Army sized pistol out of it.

 

[LedFowl]

 

[JH1951]

Without a doubt, the 1903 is one of my favorite handguns. The accuracy amazes me, and they are quite appealing to my eye.

 

[digi-shots]

Very nice 1903's....!

Here's one of mine and probably one of my favorites. US PROPERTY stamped and letters to the OSS.

 

[Texas Star]

Very nice 1903's....!

Here's one of mine and probably one of my favorites. US PROPERTY stamped and letters to the OSS.

Linda-

I don't see it. Try again.

I love your photos!

 

[Texas Star]

Actually, it wasn’t “squeezed”, that was the licensing agreements which John M. Browning made with Colt and FN respectively on those designs (the 1903 and the Vest Pocket primarily) that he sold to both. Colt got the US market, FN got Europe. So the Colt 1903 never was widely available in Europe, except for private importation, and of course the ones the OSS exported to occupied Europe surreptitiously during WW II

And while the FN 1903 was sold commercially (the attached catalog is from 1911), it was mostly limited to military contracts and not nearly as successful as the 1900 and 1910.

THAT 1903 was a larger gun, chambered for 9 mm Browning Long , and was adopted by Belgium and Sweden. I think Sweden made it under license. (Husqvarna)

 

[Absalom]

THAT 1903 was a larger gun, chambered for 9 mm Browning Long , and was adopted by Belgium and Sweden. I think Sweden made it under license. (Husqvarna)

You’re right, but it was nevertheless the same Browning design and patents and led to the above-mentioned market split.

 

[Kurusu]

THAT 1903 was a larger gun, chambered for 9 mm Browning Long , and was adopted by Belgium and Sweden. I think Sweden made it under license. (Husqvarna)

Sure it did. Here is one from the first year of Husqvarna production (1917) still in the original caliber.

And as Absalom pointed out it's exactly the same design of the Colt, only bigger and with an holdopen.

 

[italiansport]

I believe I've shown this example from my own collection before and it is one of two I have that's essentially NIB. I was fortunate in that I started acquiring these several years ago before they became price prohibitive. IMO: This is one of the finest 32s ever made and the fact that the new recreations are priced at over $1100 speaks to the craftsmanship that went into their manufacture.
Jim

 

[vrichard]

Colt 1903 type one,4in.barrel,ser.#7228.according to Colt`s list made in 1904.So that make it close to 113 years old.Still exelent shape.no rust,
no pits. maybe reblued 50 years ago.
Dick

 

[turnerriver]

I remember being at a friend's house when I was 11 or 12 and watching the father take a Colt pocket auto out of a dresser drawer and put it in his waistband, he explained that he and his wife were " going downtown " .
My modest example mainly sees duty as a holster display. The Colt pocket autos are not far behind the Government Model in popularity, at least according to an informal survey of holsters I own or run into.
Regards,
turnerriver

 

[Absalom]

...
My modest example mainly sees duty as a holster display.....

I may be setting myself up for an embarrassing “Duh!” moment here, but I’ve been looking at that second picture of yours trying to figure out how those leather loops contribute to securing the holster. Is this a partial shoulder rig?

 

[jimmyj]

In the old Humphrey Bogart movie "Key Largo" several of the gangsters had Colt Model Ms.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

My one and only does not compare to the ones pictured in this thread. Sure does shoot good though!

 

[turnerriver]

I may be setting myself up for an embarrassing “Duh!” moment here, but I’ve been looking at that second picture of yours trying to figure out how those leather loops contribute to securing the holster. Is this a partial shoulder rig?

It's definitely from days long gone by. It's an automobile holster, the straps secure it to the steering column. Heiser cataloged it in numbers 30 through I think 36 or 38 and then cataloged a spring variation based on the 125 shoulder holster in catalog number 40. Both styles were dropped in post-war catalogs.
Regards,
turnerriver